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African Concepts of Energy and Their Manifestations Through Art AFRICAN CONCEPTS OF ENERGY AND THEIR MANIFESTATIONS THROUGH ART A thesis submitted to the College of the Arts of Kent State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts by Renée B. Waite August, 2016 Thesis written by Renée B. Waite B.A., Ohio University, 2012 M.A., Kent State University, 2016 Approved by ____________________________________________________ Fred Smith, Ph.D., Advisor ____________________________________________________ Michael Loderstedt, M.F.A., Interim Director, School of Art ____________________________________________________ John R. Crawford-Spinelli, D.Ed., Dean, College of the Arts TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES………………………………………….. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS …………………………………… vi CHAPTERS I. Introduction ………………………………………………… 1 II. Terms and Art ……………………………………………... 4 III. Myths of Origin …………………………………………. 11 IV. Social Structure …………………………………………. 20 V. Divination Arts …………………………………………... 30 VI. Women as Vessels of Energy …………………………… 42 VII. Conclusion ……………………………………….…...... 56 VIII. Images ………………………………………………… 60 IX. Bibliography …………………………………………….. 84 X. Further Reading ………………………………………….. 86 iii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Porogun Quarter, Ijebu-Ode, Nigeria, 1992, Photograph by John Pemberton III http://africa.si.edu/exhibits/cosmos/models.html. ……………………………………… 60 Figure 2: Yoruba Ifa Divination Tapper (Iroke Ifa) Nigeria; Ivory. 12in, Baltimore Museum of Art http://www.artbma.org/. ……………………………………………… 61 Figure 3.; Yoruba Opon Ifa (Divination Tray), Nigerian; carved wood 3/4 x 12 7/8 x 16 in. Smith College Museum of Art, http://www.smith.edu/artmuseum/. ………………….. 62 Figure 4. Ifa Divination Vessel; Female Caryatid (Agere Ifa); Ivory, wood or coconut shell inlay. Nigeria, Guinea Coast The Metropolitan Museum of Art, http://www.metmuseum.org. ……………………… 63 Figure 5. Beaded Crown of a Yoruba King. Nigerian; L.15 (crown), L.15 (fringe) in. The Minneapolis Institute of Arts, http://www.artsmia.org/. ……………………………….. 64 Figure 6. Veranda Post of Enthroned King and Senior Wife (Opo Ogoga) By: Olowe of Ise Yoruba Ikere, Ekiti region, Nigeria . From the palace of the ogoga (king) of Ikere 1910/14; Wood and pigment. 152.5 x 31.75 x 40.6 cm (60 x 12 1/2 x 16 in.) The Art Institute of Chicago. http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/1026. ……. 65 Figure 7. Ifa bowl, carved by Olowe. Kneeling female figure with bowl (olumeye); Wood, pigment, and paint. Dallas Museum of Art. ……………………………………. 66 Figure 8. Gelede Masqueraders. Egbado (Yewa) Gelede Society Daytime Masquerades Resting before Performance,Yoruba, Idahin Town, Ketu Region, Nigeria, 1971. Blackmun, Monica. A History of Art in Africa. Visonà. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2001), 255. …………………………………………………………………………….. 67 Figure 9. Staff for Shango. Yoruba; Wood, 15” University of California, San Diego. Artstor.org. ……………………………………………………………………………. 68 Figure 10. Bamana Hunter’s Shirt, (donso duloki); Cloth (strip weave), leather, teeth, claws, aluminum, and yarn. Seattle Art Museum, http://www.seattleartmuseum.org. … 69 iv Figure 11. Bamana, Mali. N’Tomo mask. ARTstor slide gallery. ……………………. 70 Figure 12. Bamana, Kore Society Mask; Wood. (19 13/16 x 6 1/8 x 6 15/16 in.) Princeton University Art Museum. http://artmuseum.princeton.edu. …………………………….. 71 Figure 13. Bamana Chi-Wara; Wood, Animal Hyde, Hair, Pigment. Male (left) 37”, Female (right) 34”, http://www.discoverafricanart.com/Chi_wara_pair.html. …………72 Figure 14. Bamana, Komo Kun Mask, Wood, resin, feathers, quills, fibers, animal hair, 27 in., Indiana University Art Museum Bloomington, IN (Photograph: A History of Art in Africa). ……………………………………………………………………………… 73 Figure 15. Bamana Boli; Earth, organic material. ARTstor Slide Gallery. Data from University of California, San Diego. ………………………………………………….. 74 Figure 16. Bamana, Mali, Bokolanfini; Cotton, Mud dye. http://hum.lss.wisc.edu/hjdrewal/Textiles.html. ………………………………………. 75 Figure 17. Kongo, Republic of the Congo. N'Kondi: Mangaaka, 19th century; Wood, iron, resin, ceramic, plant fiber, textile, pigment. H. 46 1/2 in. (118 cm), W. 19 1/2 in. (49.5 cm), D. 15 1/2 in. (39.4 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, http://www.metmuseum.org/collection/the-collection- online/search/320053?=&imgno=7&tabname=label. …………………………….…… 76 Figure 18. Kongo, Standing Female with child. Photograph by: National Museum of World Cultures, Leiden. http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/sep/18/kongo- power-majesty-african-art-met. ………………………………………………………. 77 Figure 19. Kongo, Seated Female nursing child. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY. http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/sep/18/kongo-power-majesty-african-art- met. ……………………………………………………………………………………. 78 Figure 20. Luba, Congo. Diviner reading contents of a gourd. Photo by Mary Nooter- Roberts 1988. https://africa.uima.uiowa.edu/topic-essays/show/23?start=12. ………...79 Figure 21. Luba Diviners with Lukasa. https://africa.uima.uiowa.edu/home/SearchForm?Search=lukasa&Go=Go. ………….. 80 Figure 22. Luba Diviners’ Bowl; Wood. ARTstor Slide Gallery. ……………………. 81 Figure 23. Luba Caryatid stool; Wood, glass beads, string. Yale University Art Gallery. http://artgallery.yale.edu/. ………………………………………………………….….. 82 Figure 24. Luba Divination Device, Kashekesheke; Wood. http://artgallery.yale.edu/collections/objects/84033………………………………..….. 83 v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Foremost, I would like to thank my family and friends who have supported me through all of my college endeavors. Specifically, I would like to thank my parents for their willingness to watch my son Morrison while I did the most of my research and writing. I would like to thank Andrew for all of our late nights of love, laughter, and understanding. Thank you, for keeping me calm and sane despite all of my eccentricities. I need to thank Katie for being my wild love and consistent muse. I also need to have a special thank you to my longest friend, rock, and machine Amy. I cannot ever thank you enough for always believing in me and editing all six years of my art history papers (despite my animosity toward commas). I would also like to thank Dr. Fred Smith for all of his wonderful insights and the many classes and travels I took with him that have strengthened my love and appreciation for African art. Additionally, I would like to thank the entire art history faculty who had a positive impact during my studies at Kent State University. Thank you for sharing your endless knowledge with me, and providing me with all of the necessary resources to continue teaching and learning. Last but not least, I would like to thank my son Morrison. If not for you, I may have never grown to my full potential. I truly believe you have made me a better person and that you were destined to be a part of my life. I am thankful for you daily. Your existence has connected me to my true self and the sacred energy of this earth. Thank you for keeping me grounded, present, mindful, and constantly smiling. I love you. vi 1 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION I became interested in the different concepts of energy in which people believe ever since I learned about Pranayama during my yoga teacher-training program. To a yogi Pranayama means one’s breath and life force. This concept interests me because I have also come to the conclusion that many cultures have different interpretations, terms, and artworks that help to describe and even manifest such a force. In addition, what I have found is that Non-Western societies have a different understanding on how energy is supplied and transferred. Though different cultures around the world have their own defining terms for this concept of energy, they all encompass the same meaning, which is to elucidate the substance that creates and animates one’s life, the power to take action, and prove that we are all one, connected to each other and our earth. 1 I believe several different cultures in West Africa share an underlying belief that all energy comes from our earth and there are special ways to harness this energy and use it to our own advantage. For example, Patrick McNaughton references a missionary who defined the Bamana term nyama as: “force, 1 Orenda is a word in our Western dictionaries that shares a similar concept to the African cultures that I will be discussing. The Native American Iroquois Indians taught the term orenda to ethnologist J.N.B. Hewitt. The Merriam Webster dictionary states: “Orenda is an extraordinary invisible power believed by the Iroquois Indians to pervade Merriam-Webster, “Orenda,” http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orenda (accessed January 10, 2016). 2 power, and energy…a kind of fluid possessed by every living being.”2 Monteil stated, “It (nyama) is a fluid common to all nature.” 3 Nyama has been defined as being prevalent in all forms of life. It is the energy that flows through all beings and allows one to connect with our earth and spiritual nature. Though different terms may be used to describe such a force, there are many similarities in their culture’s descriptions, use, and ways of life, which can be seen in the art that they produce. I have chosen to focus on the Yoruba from Nigeria, the Bamana in Mali, and the Kongo and Luba peoples in the Democratic Republic of the Congo because there are many parallels and similarities in their concepts of energy and how it is manifested through works of art. Each of these cultures has several different examples that demonstrate how their concepts of energy can be materialized. For the purpose of this paper, I am going to focus on objects that directly contain power or life force rather than paraphernalia and regalia that can only symbolize power. In African art, the men in power are often identified as leaders due to the regalia that they wear or surround themselves with. For instance, a Luba chief is seen with a bow stand and a caryatid style stool while in public settings. This helps the community members and outsiders to be able to identify him as a man of importance. Though clothes, jewelry and items of wealth may indicate a status of leadership, they rarely convey a direct concept of energy and power.
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